Love for a Lifetime

Chapter 86

When March came along, Jackie was putting the finishing touches on a baby shower for Pauline. Though the unlikely circumstances, Jackie and Pauline had become good friends. Jackie knew that Pauline had no family so she decided to throw her a baby shower herself. On the day of the shower, all of the female staff members at the Whitehouse gathered for the celebration. Arabella and Caroline also joined them for the festivities. "Girls, go tell Miss Pauline that you want her to come play a game with you."

"Sure, Mama!" Arabella exclaimed.

"Don't say anything about the party. It's a surprise!"

The girls disappeared to find Pauline. When they returned, Jackie could hear Pauline saying, "This isn't the playroom."

Mrs. Shaw looked at Jackie and grinned. Pauline and the girls then walked in the room and everyone yelled, "Surprise!"

Pauline's face turned red and she began to quickly wipe tears away. Jackie ran to her and hugged her. Maud Shaw followed Jackie. "Come on, let's party!" Jackie said leading her to her seat. Pauline's seat had pink and blue balloons tied on it and was in the center of everything.

"It's perfect, Jackie. Everything is perfect."

Jackie smiled, "You're the guest of honor, eat up!"

Pauline followed Jackie to the food table and they grabbed a plate of food. After eating, Pauline began to unwrap the gifts everyone had bought. Mostly, she received yellow and green outfits for the baby. Just as she was tearing open a package, she suddenly grabbed Jackie's arm, "Are you alright?"

"No," she grunted, "I just got a sharp pain."

"I don't like the sound of that. I think we need to take you to the hospital."

Pauline complied and only a half an hour later, she was admitted.

"The baby is coming a month early, Jackie. That can't be good."

"I promise. It'll all be okay. Arabella was even earlier and look how she turned out."

She shook her head, "You want me to call Lyndon?"

"Yes, please."

Jackie walked down to the nurses' station and called his office's number, "Lyndon," she said quietly, "It is time."

"Already?"

"Yes."

"Does she want me there?"

"I would assume so. He or she is half yours. I will see you soon. I need to get back to her."

Jackie went back to Pauline's room and saw the doctor and nurses beginning to wheel her away, "Well, that went quickly," Jackie commented following them. When they arrived in the delivery room she squeezed Pauline's hand, "Thank you, Jackie, for everything."

"Of course."

Things seemed to be going well in the delivery room until Pauline started gasping for air, "Pauline! What's wrong? Talk to me!" Jackie anxiously said.

Before Jackie knew it, Pauline had gone unconscious and the cries of a baby filled the room. Pauline was rushed away and after the baby had been cleaned and swaddled, she was placed in Jackie's arms. Lyndon then walked into the hospital room with a teddy bear and some balloons, "Where's Pauline?"

"I don't know. Something went wrong during delivery-"

The doctor walked in and cut Jackie off, "Mrs. Kennedy, I'm afraid we lost her."

Jackie began to sob so Lyndon sat next to her on the bed and cried too. "Here's your daughter," Jackie whispered as she cried rocking the tiny baby.

"She's beautiful... May I?" he asked taking her into his arms. Jackie put the tiny baby in his arms. She had never seen Lyndon cry before, but he was sobbing right now. Jackie put her head on his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Lyndy."

"Me too, Jackie. Me too," he said through sobs, "What the hell are we gonna do?"

Jack walked in holding balloons and his expression immediately changed, "What's wrong?"

Jackie stood up and wrapped her arms around him, "She died during childbirth, Jack."

He kissed his wife and let the balloons go. Jack was another one that didn't cry very often, but he began to cry too, "I'm sorry, Kid. I'm so sorry."

The baby started wailing, "Jackie..." Lyndon choked through tears, "I don't-"

Jackie sucked in her breath and took the baby from Lyndon. As she rocked her, Jack sat next to Lyndon on the bed and patted his back, "It's going to be alright."

Neither Jack nor Lyndon were the affectionate type, but at that moment, Lyndon turned and hugged Jack patting him on the back, "What the hell am I going to do?"

"We will figure it all out."

"It's my fault that she's gone."

"Don't talk like that," Jack said quietly.

Jackie sat down on the other side of Lyndon, "I know," she began shakily, "That we haven't always been the best of friends, but I have seen a change in you because of her. Jack and I will be with you through this, every step of the way."

"Thank you," Lyndon replied.

"Now," Jackie said wiping away a few tears, "A young lady deserves a proper name."

"Amelia Pauline Johnson."

"That's a wonderful name," Jack remarked patting Lyndon on the back.

A few days after Amelia who had become known as Mia was born, Lyndon planned to break the news to Claudia with the help of Jack and Jackie. So they planned to have dinner and if all went well, take Claudia to the hospital to meet Mia. All four of them went to a restaurant for dinner and halfway through the meal, Jackie nodded at Lyndon to break the news, "Claudia, I have to tell you something important," she looked at him intently, "I had an affair."

"Lyndon," she said in a low tone, "I don't think this is the time or place to discuss this."

"It only happened once, but she got pregnant," Claudia put her hand over her mouth, "The baby was born three days ago, but her mother died during childbirth. That was the funeral I had to attend. Claudia, she's my kid. I have to take care of her, with or without you."

"Oh, honey," she said hugging him, "It's remarkable to me that you came clean and that you didn't try to hide your daughter away. That says a lot about you. Of course I want to raise her with you. I couldn't let you do this alone. We're partners in this life no matter what kind of trouble one of us gets into."

Jackie smiled at Jack, "We're so very glad to hear that!" Jackie said.

"When can I meet her?"

"The plan was to go after he broke the news," Jack said.

       "To hell with dessert, I want to meet this little girl," Claudia said clapping her hands together.

    
        They left the restaurant and went to the hospital. The nurses had gotten to know Jackie and Lyndon fairly well. They had been in very often visiting and bonding with Mia. So when they got into Mia's room, Jackie picked her up and spoke softly, "Well, Miss Mia, you have someone here that would like to meet you," Jackie began passing the baby to Claudia, "This is your Mama. Doesn't she smell wonderful? Aunt Jackie bought her that perfume."

       Claudia laughed as a few tears fell from her eyes, "She's beautiful, Lyndon."

       "I know," he said quietly. Claudia sat down and Lyndon stood behind her admiring both his wife and his daughter.

      "Well, we'll get outta your hair. You three need some bonding time," Jack said. He then grabbed Jackie's hand. Hand in hand, they exited the hospital. "Jackie, I can't wait for ours."

       "Me neither," Jackie smiled broadly, "Me neither."